Decision details

Mr & Mrs Hanlon of 11 High Street Balsham contacted South Cambs Development Team back in 2018 requesting us to consider selling them an area of land from the new build development next door to there home. This would enable them to extend their driveway and allow for a second car to be parked off road.

The brownfield site next door to Mr & Mrs Hanlon is currently under development by Hill Residential and South Cambs DC is purchasing the 13 affordable homes. The affordable land has all been transferred over to South Cambs DC and construction of the affordable housing is well underway.  Side onto Mr & Mrs Hanlon’s property is a block of affordable apartment and there will be a small grassed area of land around the block of apartments. This area of land is not large enough to offer any garden space to residents. It will therefore be space that the Housing Department will need to cover with grounds maintenance.

The total area of land to be valued is approximately 21.105sqm. The Council is to retain enough land around the block of flats for any future maintenance requirements.

Balsham High Street is extremely busy and is the through route for people travelling to Cambridge or seeking access to the A11/M11. Mr & Mrs Hanlon’s property is very close to Balsham Primary school, which has no parking facilities for parents dropping off and collecting children from school. Parking on Balsham High Street is very challenging at times.

Mr & Mrs Hanlon are aware that South Cambs is required to carry out a land valuation and that any sale of land will be for best consideration. They are also aware that South Cambs will look to re-coup costs and they’ll have to agree to pay all costs and land price before the land can be sold and transferred to them.

To approve the sale of land to allow Mr & Mrs Hanlon thus enabling them to extend there parking arrangements that would allow them to put a second car onto there driveway.

Balsham High Street gets very congested and parking along the High Street is very limited. The land will be sold for best consideration and costs will be recouped.

Option 1: The Council decides not to sell this area of land to Mr & Mrs Hanlon.

Reason for Rejection: South Cambs DC is to retain enough land around the block of flats to allow for future maintenance. Removes some of the maintenance burden for the South Cambs Housing department to deal with. All relevant boundary responsibilities will be passed over to the purchasers. All valuation and other fees will be paid by the purchasers.